Lovesick Lullabies
by TheSecretNotebook
Summary: AU: Hinata forgets one one of the most important days ever, so Kiba makes her pay for it. KibaHina


_The summary was quite random, but still. Not much angst in this one as it may seem._

::::

After countless practices of reciting the same thing over and over again, the young, energized Hyuuga was still utterly confused, and uneasy about her favorite blonde's homecoming arrival.

The blonde being Naruto, and ultimately, Hinata's long-time crush, was coming back from his one-month vacation. He had gone a few hours away to visit his dad, whom he hadn't seen in over a year. Hinata had done her fair share of eavesdropping and spying – and stalking – to sadly figure out the news.

But the long days had passed that she had watched his empty seat. Naruto was coming back, and Hinata figured it was a great opportunity to show what the boy's been missing. She was going to change, and maybe, maybe he'd realize what was really in her if he'd not see her for a couple of weeks.

She stood at her locker, looking into the new mirror she had purchased, intentionally for this one, and only purpose – and sighed.

"Hey, Naruto-kun!" She shrieked, imitating a line she had written onto a small piece of paper that she had already memorized.

"Too desperate…" She corrected herself. Hinata looked down expectantly, and then smiled back into the mirror.

"Hello, Naruto… dear. How have you been?" The anxious girl shook her head in embarrassment, and reassessed the whole speech in her head again. _This seemed so much better at home! _

"Maybe, it's this makeup…" She looked closely into the mirror, and eyed the cake-y eye shadow brushed onto her pale lids. So she took one finger and brought it up to her face, swiping the excess powder off, muttering how much she was an idiot.

"Hey Hinata!"

The voice rang into her ears too suddenly for her liking, and she jumped in surprise, knocking the locker door against the wall, slamming it back to her own forehead.

"Ow…" She moaned in pain.

"Oh shit – I am so sorry Hinata!" The same voice cursed, moving in front of the red-faced girl.

"No, its okay, Kiba... It wasn't your fault." Hinata whispered realizing it wasn't the person she wanted it to be. But then again, it was good it _wasn't _Naruto. That was _really_ embarrassing.

After Hinata had readjusted to the short pain in her skull, she looked at Kiba, and gave him a slight questioning brow.

"Wow, Kiba." She murmured, half staring, half curious. "You look different."

Kiba shot her his infamous, playful smile, showing off his toothy canines. "Is that a bad thing?"

"NO!" Hinata piped up. Kiba laughed to himself, knowing he was just playing around with her. He just enjoyed the act of making the poor girl squirm. "Th-that's not what I meant!"

His big eyes drooped, and he grinned. "I was just kidding. I knew you meant it was a good thing." He joked.

Hinata folded her arms, and gave him her signature innocent look. By now, Kiba should've already gotten over the puppy-eyed look she always gave him, but he could never seem to get over it.

Before turning back to recite some more of her _speech_, she blinked for a long second, and leaned over towards the tall boy beside her, and took a big whiff.

Kiba smiled down toward her, and inwardly jumped that she had noticed.

"Are you wearing…" She looked up to his eyes. "…Cologne?"

He nodded gleefully. "You know you love it."

Hinata took a step back, and looked him up and down. Kiba couldn't help but enjoy this. "And you're wearing a new jacket. Is it just me, or am I seeing a pattern here?"

He laughed, continuing to say nothing. _She's planning something, I know it… Today's July 7__th__… _

"What's the occasion?" She asked, looking at him with pure virtue.

For a second, Kiba forced himself to believe that she was just joking around, that she was playing around with him, because, after all, Hinata was his best friend. And best friends don't forget other friends' birthdays.

But when she just stared up into his deep brown eyes skeptically, Kiba's chest suddenly felt a little heavier than normal. He decided it wasn't worth a frown. At least, not in front of her.

"You don't remember…?" Kiba uttered, trying to hide his heartbroken tone with a puzzled, happy one.

Hinata looked to the side, her brows slanted, her lips pouting in thought, and then smiled.

"Oh! Kiba, I know what you're talking about." She quickly recovered. He smiled again.

"Really?"

"Of course!" She said, jumping up in excitement. "Naruto's coming back today!"

Kiba smacked his lips, then gave her a somewhat, miserable laugh, before scratching the back of his head. He couldn't believe it. All the girl could think about was the stupid, obnoxious, loud-mouthed blonde.

"Which reminds me," She mumbled, and turned back to her locker door. "I have to go and see someone…" She hastily grabbed her purse, something she would never usually wear to school, and slammed the locker shut. "I'll see you later Kiba!" She yelled, running off down the hallway.

"Yeah," He uttered, sighing. "I'll see you…"

_I did this all for you._

::::

After a dreadful Third period class, Kiba decided that not even a dozen of balloons and chocolate would be able to bring him back to his top mood; something that he should've already been in.

As the bell rung and the boy walked out of Physics, all he could think of was seeing the horrible image of Hinata and Naruto walking down the hallway hand in hand. And all he could imagine reacting to that was a bloody-nosed Naruto walking to the Nurse's Office.

As he approached his locker, he noticed a balloon stuck to the small door, with a card attached to it. For a squat second, he could've promised you it was going to be from the lovely Hyuuga. He quickly swung his bag to the floor, and opened the small card.

_Kiba,_

_Happy Birthday, Hot stuff! Hope you have a great day._

_Sakura and Ino. _

He dropped his arm in disappointment, and stared at the ceiling.

It wasn't that he didn't appreciate it. Balloons and flowers were great, and he didn't want to admit it, but he was a pretty popular guy. But none of it mattered. If the only person that _did_ matter forgot it was his birthday, nothing else mattered.

"Where did I go wrong?" He groaned, shutting his eyes in desperation. He knocked his head on the locker, and just stood there; shoulders drooped.

"Kiba?" A low, monotone voice called.

"Eh…." He murmured, moving his head slightly, so his lips were pressed against the locker, his voice muffled.

"Why are you looking so depressed?"

Kiba opened one eye, and then closed it. "Why does she have to like him so much, Shino?"

Shino, in all his baggy sweater goodness, propped his dark shades up against the bridge of his nose, then shrugged.

"Maybe she wants what she can't have." He suggested, after Kiba didn't say anything.

Kiba slowly stood up, then ran his hand through his wavy hair, his eyes dead. "But why _him_?"

Shino shrugged for the second time. Kiba didn't answer for the second time.

"Maybe she admires him."

"Yeah, but why _him_?" He repeated, crossing his arms.

Just as Shino was about to create a shrugging pattern, the same girl they were just discussing, came running down the hallway, a huge smile displayed on her light features.

She abruptly stopped in front of the two, and Kiba quickly picked up his posture, and mustered up the biggest smile he could.

"Kiba! Oh my, you will not believe what just happened!" She shouted breathlessly. It looked like she had just run a mile all the way from across the school just to tell him the news. Her hair was faintly disordered, and her skirt crumpled, but Kiba thought she looked beautiful.

"Oh, hello Shino." She looked to the side, then back to Kiba.

Shino just nodded. But it was as if he hadn't moved.

"What happened?" Kiba inquired, genuinely curious, even if it had to do with the annoying blonde. He hadn't seen the girl the whole day except that morning.

"I saw Naruto coming out of Psychology, and overhead him saying how excited he was to go to sixth hour, Economics."

Kiba attempted a smile, and then looked to Shino, trying to avoid a response for the exhausted girl. If he had said anything in reply, it would've been something a little inappropriate for the naive girl's ears. He knew she and Naruto had World Economics together, and the thought made him cringe.

Shino took the look as a queue for him to speak, so he opened his mouth.

"That's nice."

Hinata smiled greatly at him. "I know!"

Kiba tilted one end of his lip up, and tried to control his fumes.

Weirdly, the whole day had been focused on how his hatred had suddenly grown for the dobe, instead of the forgetting of the birthdays. Something wanted his loathing focused on anything but his friend.

The loud bell suddenly rang, and the hallways soon got crowded. Only three more periods, and school would be over. Everything would be.

"Okay then. Off to class." Hinata looked to the side, like she was expecting to see someone. "Bye Shino."

Shino saluted her, and went off into the other direction, as Hinata just grinned at the motionless Kiba.

"Happy Birthday, Kiba." Shino said before disappearing into the crowd of students.

Kiba hoped that Hinata had heard the small wish, but she was gone before he could even turn around.

::::

Hinata was counting down the minutes during her Fifth period class. Japanese Literature was amazing, but today, she couldn't wait to leave.

All she could think about was how Naruto looked today; how different, and how mature he had gotten over those few weeks. She thought about speaking to him and his face when he would see the change in herself.

She squirmed, and the second that bell rang, she was out of there. Dust and all.

After walking the short, quick minutes to building seven, she looked into the room keenly, and as usual, saw Kakashi, their Economics teacher sitting at his desk. Usually he would be sitting there, reading the same orange book, or grading papers, but today, he sat with his arms crossed, listening intently on a tall blonde boy standing in front of him.

Hinata instantly smiled, and entered the room, her heart picking its pace; if the darn thing could go any faster, anyways.

The two had heard her entrance, and both looked her way. Naruto's face had brightened, and Hinata smiled back, feeling light as a feather.

"Hey, N-Naruto!" She greeted. Inwardly, she groaned. _I was doing so well until I spoke._

"Hinata!" The boy shouted, walking up to her.

The girl couldn't stop smiling.

"God, Hinata!" He shrieked. "You are so damn cute!" Naruto was soon in front of her, but instead of engulfing her in a huge bear hug, like she was hoping, he took his hand and pinched the edge of her cheek.

Hinata winced at the slight pain. He let go, and then crossed his arms. "What's up?"

The girl, feeling utterly disappointed, because that was not what she was expecting, gulped in -dismay, and forced a grin. "I'm g-great. You look good too, Naruto-k-kun."

_Just stop talking, Hinata! You're making a god darn fool of yourself, stuttering like a baby!_

A few more people had suddenly entered the room, as Naruto's attention had drifted off the frustrated and anxious girl.

"Sakura-chan!!!" The blonde shouted out of the blue. He ran to the entrance, and took the pink-haired girl into a giant hug. Hinata turned to watch him reunite with the shocked girl.

"Naruto!!!" Sakura yelled out in exasperation after being lifted off her own feet, and swung in a circle. But behind the annoyed tone, you could make out the cheerfulness in it too. "Put me down Naruto!"

Finally, after a few minutes, he had put the girl back to her own feet, and attacked someone behind her, watching.

"Sasuke, you bastard!" Naruto piped up, jumping onto the guy's back. "I missed you too!"

"Naruto…" The dark and stunned boy growled.

Before Hinata could look away, Sakura had walked passed her, and laughed.

"Can you believe that kid?" Sakura laughed, obviously happy for the kid's arrival.

Hinata just laughed along with her.

"No... I can't."

::::

The whole hour had gone longer than Hinata wanted. She found herself looking at the clock more than she looked at Naruto. He sat on the other side of the room, and from their loud voices, she could listen in on their conversation; Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke.

But this time, she didn't want to. She wanted to drown out their talking, and how much Naruto said he missed them, and how they were going to go hang out at Starbucks this Saturday. She wanted to just leave after the first five minutes. And she hated the fact that he thought she was _cute_.

But luckily, Kakashi's lecture still went on, even after the stirring appearance, and Hinata still took her notes carefully, trying so hard not to stare at the ticking device on the wall.

After the bell rang signaling the end of school, Hinata quickly shoved everything into her bag; her binder, her pencils, her well-taken notes, and zipped up the stupid thing.

She looked down to her feet as she made her way, hastily passed the group she tried to avoid. Just thinking about the actual day the nights before suddenly seemed like her own perfect situations made up in her mind were too good to be true.

"Hinata!" Someone yelled from behind.

Hinata recognized the voice instantly and turned, wishing she had faster legs. "Yes Sakura?"

"Can you say hi to Kiba for me?" She smiled, putting her side bag strap onto her shoulder.

Hinata nodded, trying to avoid her green, aqua eyes, not wanting to show her fear, or embarrassment. It was stupid, really.

"Sure. No problem."

"I didn't get a chance to wish him today in person. But I sent him the balloon anyways." Sakura chimed, looking back to see Naruto and Sasuke fighting again. She looked back to Hinata. "He looked really cute today, in his whole outfit and everything."

But Hinata finally looked up into the girl's big eyes, and stared. "Pardon?"

Sakura grinned, a little curious, at the sudden shy girl's sudden expression swing. "I – I didn't get to wish Happy Birthday to Kiba today. So I was wondering—"

"I'm sorry, what?" Hinata asked again, completely perplexed at the pinky's words.

Sakura lifted a brow, getting even more confused by the second. "Okay, did I say something wrong? Because I'm really confused."

Hinata squinted her eyes, and then turned around to leave the room without saying anything back to the unmoved girl.

Hinata looked at her watch, and widened her eyes, suddenly picking up her pace.

But as she ran outside to the front of the school, she discovered, she had missed her bus.

_What was Sakura talking about? It wasn't Kiba's birthday…_

_Was it?_

_His birthday was in July._

_…April, May, June… JULY?! _

_It can't be the seventh… That was last Thursday…_

_But today's Monday… What? _

Hinata ran the photographic picture of her Student Calendar through her mind, trying to figure out what she was missing.

_It's the Seventh. The seventh of July. It was Kiba's birth-_

The bus loop was soon emptying, and the crowd of teenagers was decreasing. Hinata turned the opposite direction and hoped that it wasn't too late.

She entered the gate to the student parking lot, and scanned the area, looking for a familiar bike.

Cars were entering, mostly leaving, but just as she spotted the exact brunette she was looking for, he had already put on his round, black helmet, and started the engine in a spark.

"Kiba!!!" Hinata yelled, trying her best to be noticed by him. But unfortunately, she had a knack for being invisible.

The roar of the engine was too loud for her voice to be heard. Kiba had already left the parking lot, his motor bike leaving a trail of dust, missing the sound of a young girl's heart breaking.

::::

Have you ever looked back on your day, either when you went to sleep, or when you were taking a shower, or eating your dinner, and just reran everything that you said and did throughout the day, and just felt, like the most idiotic person in the world?

Hinata did just that.

As she waited on the sidewalk, she rewinded back to the moment she entered school, and replayed everything. She thought of going over her lines in the morning, she thought of going into the girl's bathroom to fix her hair, she thought of looking into her locker mirror, and reciting the most horrible thing she could ever do.

And that was forgetting her best friend's birthday.

There was no hope in the world anymore for the poor girl, so she did the last and only thing left to do in a situation like this.

Neji's car suddenly pulled up to the curb where Hinata sat, her face distressed at her own actions.

"Hinata?" Neji's voice called out. Hinata stood up and walked over to the car, and got in to the passenger seat next to her stoic cousin.

"How could you miss your bus? You never miss it." He asked, as they rolled around the circle to the exit.

Hinata looked out the window, and shrugged, not really wanting to talk to him. "It was just the first time…"

Neji didn't say anything.

Hinata looked at him. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Hn…." He replied. She hesitated, and then continued, accepting the imaginary word as a _go on._

"C-Can you drop me over to my friend's house?" She asked, slowly and full of caution.

He didn't say anything immediately, so Hinata just stared out onto the road in front of her, not wanting to disturb whatever kind of stupor he was in.

"What did you do to Kiba?"

Hinata's eyes halted and they stood like that for a long minute.

"How… How did you know?" She questioned, a little scared at the moment. _How much did he know?_

"C'mon, Hinata…" He murmured; almost too quiet to be heard. She didn't reply at first, so he went on.

"I mean, even I knew it was his birthday."

_Thanks, Neji._

"I know." She uttered, looking at her fidgeting hands. _How could I not notice the balloons, and all the flowers stuffed into his lockers? The cards, the new jacket, the cologne… I was oblivious. _

Neji pulled onto a small driveway, and stopped the engine. It became quiet, and Hinata suddenly felt like she didn't want to leave him.

"Thanks, Neji." She unbuckled her seat belt. "For driving me here, I mean."

He nodded, not looking at her, his hands still on the wheel. "Sure."

She got out of the car, and walked up to the white porch surrounding the small house.

Kiba's house always had a warm aura to it. She loved coming here all the time, visiting him and just hanging out, eating dinner with his family, eating the warm home-cooked meals. It was like a second home to her.

She took a crooked breath, then rang the bell, hoping that Kiba would answer, and not his sister or mom.

She could hear barking, and instantly knew it was Akamaru.

Voices were heard on the other side of the door, and suddenly it opened, revealing a smiling woman.

"Hinata! What a surprise!"

"Hello, Hana." Hinata greeted. "How are you?"

"I'm great! You wanna come in?" She offered. But before Hinata could accept, Hana had already dragged her into the house.

Akamaru had jumped towards Hinata, putting his front paws on her stomach, trying to get her attention.

"Hush Akamaru! Don't be so rude!" She yelled, waving him away.

"No, it's fine!" Hinata tried making her appearance unnoticeable. "I don't mind."

Hana gave her a genuine smile, then gestured her into the kitchen.

Hinata followed Kiba's sister, and gaped at the decorations hanging everywhere.

There was confetti lying on the floor everywhere, balloons strung onto chairs and dangling on the floor. Hats, and touched plates lay all over the table, and a huge, long poster hung from the entrance to the living room, that _read 'Happy 18__th__ Birthday Kiba!'_

Hinata beamed at the place, but deep inside, an overwhelming shade of guilt ran through her, as her throat suddenly closed up.

"It was his eighteenth…" She whispered in sadness.

"Yeah, cute right?" Hana piped up, unaware of the girl's gloomy state. "We threw him a surprise party, and all of our relatives came in from Suna downtown just to surprise him when he came home from school. Isn't that great?"

"…Yeah. It is." She whispered, looking to see a half-eaten cake lying beside a bunch of wrapping paper.

"He was kind of shell shocked at first. Kiba never liked surprises, so I would've figured he would be a little upset." She added with her arms on her hips.

Hinata looked up, another round of guilt surging through her. It made her want to throw up.

"But I guess he was just a little tired after school, I mean he must've spent a lot of time with you today."

Hinata pressed her lips together, and then pressed a smile at Hana.

"Well, Kiba's upstairs in his room. You can go up there, while I clean up the mess." She said, starting to gather up all the remains of what seemed like a wild family party.

Hinata nodded, fearing that if she would say anything else, she would just break down in tears. So she quickly moved out of sight, and stood at the top of the staircase, where Hana couldn't see her. She took a deep breath, feeling a nauseous sensation at the pit of her stomach. She held herself against the railing, ready to purge out the contents of her stomach, but held it in anyways. After more breaths, she then slowly walked up the last few steps. The light was visible from the bottom of the room door.

Hinata knocked lowly. "Kiba?"

When no answer came, she knocked again. But there was still no answer.

So Hinata decided to just brace herself and let herself in.

She peeked her head into the small slit she pushed, and looked around. Kiba's clothes lay on the floor, magazines lay scattered, the curtains pulled closed, with only the light from the bathroom door as a guide of some sort.

She took a step inside, and looked around, seeing the same new leather jacket he wore today, lying carelessly on the dresser. She walked towards his vanity, with ironically, no mirror, and saw a bottle of perfume, sitting opened on the desk. It was almost empty.

She scanned the area in interest, for it changed since the last time she came, and then stopped at a framed photo of her and Kiba smiling into a camera that he had taken with his own hands.

The door to the bathroom opened suddenly, jumping Hinata almost out of her own skin, and she shrieked.

Kiba, having no notice of anyone's presence, jumped back too.

"Hinata?!" He shouted.

"U-um, K-Kiba, - I'm sorry I barged in here!" She shouted back, the evil stutter coming back to disturb her voice. "I shouldn't have c-came in without you knowing first…"

Kiba, seeming overly-exhausted, and oddly indifferent to her company, didn't say anything at first, but just took a step, and waited.

"So, what is it?" He asked.

Hinata took another deep breath in before starting. "I came because… be-because… um, you know I was- um, thinking about today… and I was… I was-was thinking… and I c-came because y-you…"

Kiba chuckled lightly, and looked down, as if smiling at some own private joke.

"Kiba?" Hinata tried, her voice desperate, for some, or any kind of sympathy at the disorder she had at arranging words properly. "Why-Why are you laughing?"

Kiba continued in silence, and just walked to the other side of the room, to turn on his desk lamp. He didn't even bother to open the curtains.

"…Kiba?" She muttered. "I'm sorry I forgot your birthday."

It took him a while to come up with a response, without sounding too harsh.

"…Okay." He finally accepted.

Hinata could've sworn they stood there for hours, just staring each other down. And that's al that he could say? Okay?

"And, I'm sorry." She repeated, not knowing what he wanted to hear from her.

Kiba nodded ever so lightly, and then pushed all the scattered clothes on his bed to the floor carelessly then sat on one side of the bed.

"And, I'm sorry I barely even talked to you today. I was so caught up in my own life and Naruto—"

"Why do you like him?"

Hinata paused, just to _really_ look at him – like she couldn't understand what he was trying to say to her - and then wavered the thought of his possible reasoning of that exact question.

"What?"

"Why do you like Naruto?" He repeated, with the addition of the boy's name.

Hinata half breathed, half coughed in confusion, then pulled a piece of loose hair behind her ear.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Because I want to know." He just replied, almost too quickly.

Hinata pondered the thought and felt the need to answer, even though it was really, too unexpected to be answered truthfully, and sincerely. _I mean it was Naruto._

"Well, N-Naruto's a nice guy… And he's really nice to me… and-"

"I'm nice to you." Kiba said, first looking at his hands, which were playing with a loose thread from the bed sheets. His eyes then trailed to Hinata, who stood blankly at him, forgetting about the remainder of her unfinished sentence. It was like he had planned this conversation ahead of time; like he knew exactly what he was going to say.

"What?" Hinata murmured. "Kiba? What are you talking about and why are you asking me this now?"

"I just want to know why you find this guy so interesting." He immediately answered, fulfilling the theory she had going on in her mind a second before. "He doesn't pay _any_ attention to you, and you're so in love with him."

Hinata reddened, but this time, not just in embarrassment, but in anger too.

"Kiba! It is – It is not your place to tell me what is going on in my l-love life." She corrected.

"Don't turn this on me; you're the one who came here to apologize." He spoke back. Hinata tried so hard just to try and take that as a reason to leave, but she just fumed, knowing she heard no sense of sarcasm in his tone. She knew he was right.

"I'm sorry, Kiba." She said again, walking to the other side of the bed. She sat on it, making the bed jump up slightly, then back down. "I am - …_awfully_, sorry that I missed a very important day. I felt terrible after I found out."

Kiba half-grinned, a little glad to see her back the way she was before; cowering and all. "…How did you find out?"

"…Sakura told me." She admitted, feeling like a complete idiot.

But instead of frowning, he just laughed gently.

Hinata's cheeks blushed and she felt discomfited for having the last person to tell her that it was her best friend's birthday, and telling it to the _actual_ birthday boy.

He shook his head after a second, then smiled. "I… forgive you."

Hinata instantaneously beamed at him delightedly. It was easier than she expected, that he would just forgive her like that, without making her beg or anything. But Kiba was a good person, anyways. She had always known that.

"Happy eighteenth Birthday." She whispered, knowing she owed him so much more than just that.

"Finally!" He cried, jokingly. "But… thanks."

"No problem. I owe you anyways." Hinata mumbled, the same striking feeling of guilt hit again.

"You are totally right."Kiba smirked. "Where's my present?"

For a short second, Hinata gasped; forgetting the ultimate factor was _worse_ than totally forgetting the actual day. "Oh my, Kiba, I will go to the mall right now and buy you anything you want, c'mon—"

Just as the panicked girl was about to get up, Kiba pulled her bag down to the bed, and laughed. "No, you don't have to get me anything."

Hinata shook her head in total protest. "That's what everyone says, but I'm not everyone's friend. I'm yours. So whatever you want, just say it. I'll buy it."

"Okay." Kiba said, looking straight into her light eyes. "…Kiss me."

Hinata was about to get up again, a pathetic attempt at dragging him to mall for a shopping spree, but the thought soon hit her. She raised her brows in confusion.

"What?"

Kiba laughed again, then smiled at her, his hand still holding onto her arm. "You heard me."

Hinata grinned in uncertainty, wondering if she was hard of hearing. "Kiba…"

"That's all I want." He responded.

Hinata hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. Fine."

Kiba grinned in acceptance, and a little excitement.

"But you have to close your eyes."

Kiba instantly frowned, and then parted his mouth in annoyance. "No! I want to see you do this…" The small hint of sarcasm went unnoticed by the chaste girl.

Hinata grinned at him, "Not at all! I won't do it unless you close your eyes!"

"Fine." The boy dropped his shoulders in surrender, knowing he wasn't going to win this battle, even if it _was_ his birthday.

"Good," Hinata grinned, liking the fact that she was, for once, the one toying with him. "Now close them."

Kiba analyzed her face - a trick was the last thing he wanted - hoping to find some sort of honesty in them, and then closed his eyes. He found it nevertheless.

Hinata adjusted her position on his bed, getting closer to him.

"In my defense, I would say this is a totally cruel and unusual punishment for the opposition…" Hinata murmured.

Kiba could feel her warm breath on his cheek already. "I'm the birthday boy, remember…" He said, almost breathlessly.

Hinata smiled, even knowing he couldn't see her.

She slowly inched closer to him, and soon was centimeters away. She could smell the small scent of cologne he had left on, even after the smell of soap residue was left washed against his face. Hinata observed his features closely, not wanting to miss the opportunity to look at him without any scrutiny of herself from him. The lighting, she had to admit, hit his face perfectly, even if it was just a small table lamp beside them.

So after enough time just to memorize every inch of his familiar face, she sighed inaudibly. She noticed his hair, in a way she hadn't before, and how it was disassembled in all the right places, how pieces of it fell in front of his eyes, and how she could hear his pulse, and how it was oddly racing. Just like hers.

And so she gave in.

She pressed her lips, not exactly on his, but right at the edge of them, right in between, half on his cheek.

She smiled; the contact was electric and warm. She felt herself already sweating up a pool on her back, behind her neck, and on her hands.

She stayed there longer than she planned too, but figured it was too awkward for his liking when he pulled away.

Hinata's eyes were opened the whole time, and when she connected them with Kiba's, widely opened, and lively lit ones, she faltered.

"I'm sorry."

He didn't speak any words. She didn't know what his expression read; she could make out some bewilderment, disappointment, and sadness.

But he just took her by the other arm, and pulled her against him again, except this time, it was a real kiss.

Hinata was completely shocked at his reaction. She was in fact, stunned that he had given her a true, full-on kiss.

It had also been her first one.

Hinata closed her eyes, and decided to go with it. No, it wasn't Naruto, the boy she dreamed of kissing for years, the boy she wanted to take her first kiss, no. It was Kiba, her uttermost best friend, the boy – man, she trusted most in her life, the one who she felt the most comfortable with.

She enjoyed the feeling of this intimate closeness they shared. She adjusted her hand so it was perfectly fit in with his; fingers entwined. Yes, the moment was something different and unexpected. It was bizarre, and it made he want to run away, but yet she didn't.

Kiba, figuring she wouldn't shy away, took it as an indication to continue.

So he parted his mouth.

Hinata let out a little squeak in alarm, but Kiba breathed out through his nose, trying to relax her nerves that he could feel erupting from her arm in the form of goose bumps.

And in response, she did calm herself down, and went with him, and followed.

He smiled against her lips and decided that she was the most beautiful human being in the world. Naruto didn't matter anymore, no one mattered. If Hinata was okay with that, then so was he.

::::

**_A/N: Sorry for the cut off-ish ending. I wanted to write something, even if it's the worst possible thing ever. _**


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